The swingers came to town: The Sydney Girevoy kettlebell competition

The first time I heard the word kettlebell, I had visions of an alarm ringing when the water boiled! It was safe to say I had not quite hit the mark with this initial thought. And if you are unfamiliar to what the kettlebell is, just think of a cannon ball with a handle that gets hurled around a room at great intensity by an individual without letting go of the thing (as that could cause some problems)!

Girevoy (Kettlebell)

According to wikipedia, the definition of ‘Girevoy’ : The kettlebell or girya (Russian: гиря) is a cast iron weight looking somewhat like a cannonball with a handle, used to perform ballistic exercises which combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. Learn more.

Australian Girevoy kettlebell competition

We popped along toBlack Belt Pro Gym in Randwick, Sydney where the swingers were at to see what the Australian Girevoy Kettlebell competition was all about.

Think olympic style lifts with a kettlebell that has aerobic qualities seen in many endurance sports.

On this occasion, there were about 30 athletes in all competing in 10 minute events. Until recently, this Girevoy kettlebell competition was confined to Russia and Eastern Europe, but now with a growing popularity here in Australia.